Musical instrument, etc.



Sept. 7, 1943- w. w. MUELLER 2,328,574 I MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, ETC

Filed om. a1, 1941 WWW I NTOR Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, ETC. Walter W. Mueller, Douglaston, N. Y.

Application October 31, 1941, Serial No. 417,245

((21. s4 ss2) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to articles which have a circular non-metallic edge having metal trim around it for protecting said edge against mechanical injury and for improved appearance, and it relates more particularly to musical instruments of the wood wind type, such as a clarinet, having a wooden bell, the circular tip of which is provided with a metal ring.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a 1011- I gitudinal section through the bell of a clarinet made according to this invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a section of the upper tip of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a spring metal ring; Fig. 4 is like Fig. 2 except for a flat spring metal ring instead of a round one; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a wooden plate having metal trim ring according to this invention.

Heretofore one of the commonest ways of attaching a protective metal trim ring around the circular extremity of a wooden clarinet bell was to swage the metal into a V-shaped groove cut around the circumference of the bell tip. Howeventhis was a difficult operation and resulted in relatively high breakage losses because the thin wood is fragile and the swaging required much force.

One object of the present invention is to avoid the swaging referred to; another object is to provide a simple, quick and relatively fool-proof method of attaching a protective metal ring around a wooden clarinet bell and similar articles, without danger of breaking the wood. Thus the present invention has the unexpected advantages of speed, simplicity, economy and safety, as

compared to prior art methods and articles.

Broadly, the invention consists in cutting a U- shaped groove into th outer edge or circumference of the circular wooden portion to b protected, compressing flush into said groove 3. spring-steel lock ring and then sliding over said wooden edge and lock ring a snugly fitting protective metal trim ring having in its inner surface a semi-circular sectioned groove cooperating with the U-shaped groove in the wood, thereby letting the lock ring expand by spring tension to half its thickness into the groove in the trim ring, and locking the latter against displacement.

Figures 1 to 4 in the accompanying drawing illustrate how the invention is applied to the construction of a clarinet bell.

Referring to Fig. 1, which is a longitudinal sectlon through a wooden bell 2 of a clarinet, 4 is the U-shaped groove in the wood, 5 is the protectlve trim ring, and B is the lock-ring shown expanded by spring tension into locking position.

Fig. 2, which is an enlarged View of the section of the upper tip of Fig. 1, shows the lock-ring 6 (which is a round spring wire bent into almost closed circular shape) in expanded or looking position, and also in dotted lines by numeral 6 shows how the lock-ring when compressed fits flush into the U--shaped groove 4 as the trim ring 5 is being fitted onto the WOOd bell 2 which may suitably be made grenedilla wood, or synthetic resin plastic, etc. The trim ring 5 is advantageously made of nickel silver, nickel-, chromium or silver-plated brass, nickelor chromiLL'n-plated steel, or other suitable metal.

Th circular edge of the bell 2 has substantial thickness, e. g. about A, more or less accordin to the cf the instrument.

Fig. 3 shows the circular lock-ring 6 per so, which may be made of spring steel and has a sufficient gap, e. /4, or /2, between the ends when expanded, that the ends will not overlap when the ring is compressed into the U-shaped groove 4.

Fig. 4 shows how th lock-ring 6 and the corresponding groove 4 may have a flat shape instead of rounded as in Fig. 2. I

In manufacturing prior to assembling or after the trim ring is assembled to the clarinet bell, one or more small holes (approximately the size of a #47 (.078 inch) twist drill.) can be drilled through the trim ring at any point or points in the circumference as per 1 so that a metal rod can be introduced through this openin for the purpose of depressing the steel lock-ring, while at the same time the trim ring can be tapped lightly at that point for the purpose of accomplishing displacement, and thus removal, of the trim ring from the clarinet bell. Such a hole 1 shown in both Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, is preferably positioned diametrically opposite to the opening in the spring metal ring when these parts are being assembled.

The invention has been described in detail as applied to a clarinet, but it may also be used for other wood-wind musical instruments, such as oboes, English horns, alto clarinets, bass clari nets, and bassoons, in a similar manner.

Obviously, the exact dimensions of the sev-, eral parts will depend upon the general size and shape of the clarinet, but for one of the most common ones, having a wooden bell of about 2 or 2% inches inside diameter at the outer tip, the U- shaped groove 4 may suitably be 0.100 inch deep at the deepest part, and the lock-ring about 0.090 inch in diameter. The half-round groove in the trim ring 5 should, in this instance, be

' about 0.100 inch wide and about 0.050 inch deep.

Although the invention is believed particular- 1y applicable to wood-wind musical instruments as above described, it is also considered to apply to other types of wooden objects such as wooden novelty articles, wooden bracelets, wooden dishware such as salad bowls, fruit bowls, plates and the like, as well as other wooden household articles, and even articles made of various plastics.

Fig. 5 shows a vertical cross section of a wooden plate 8, with its edge protected by a metal trim ring 5 held in place by lock-ring 6 in the outer portion of groove 4.

Inasmuch as the bell of a clarinet or other wood-wind musical instrument vibrates vigorously during use, it is especially surprising that the lock-ring of this invention can be used with such good mechanical results without harm to the musical notes being played.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the specific examples given merely for the sake of illustration, but is intended to include obviously equivalent variations thereof such as it would suggest to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture which has a circular non-metallic portion having a circular outer edge of substantial thickness, a groove around its entire circumference, a metal trim ring fitting snugly around said edge and having in its inner edge a groove having a depth one-half as great as said first groove, said two grooves having substantially the same width and being positioned directly across from each other when assembled, and a spring metal lockring adapted to fit into the groove in the non- 1y around said edge and having in its inner edge a half-round groove having a depth half as great as its width, said two grooves having substantially the same width and being positioned di rectly across from each other when assembled and a spring-steel lock-ring adapted to fit into the U-shaped groove in the bell, fitting flush therein when compressed, and, upon expansion, fitting to half its thickness into the groove in the trim ring when the latter is positioned around the edge of the bell, said lock-ring serving to lock the trim ring against displacement when assembled.

3. An article according to claim 2 in which the instrument is a clarinet and the bell is made of wood.

4. A clarinet which has a bell portion made of grenadilla wood, the circular outer edge of said bell being about A thick and having therein a U-shaped groove about 0100" wide and about 0.100" at the deepest part, said groove being around the entire circumference of said bell edge, a nickel silver trim ring fitting snugly around said bell edge and having in its inner edge a half-round groove having a width of about 0.100 and a depth of about 0.050. said grooves being positioned directly across from each other when the trim ring is assembled on the bell edge, and a spring-steel lock-ring composed of a spring-steel wire about 0.090" in diameter bent into almost circular form and of such length that when unrestrained the ends thereof will form a gap about A," to /2" in size, and that when positioned in the bell edge groove and compressed flush with the surface of said edge the ends of said lock-ring wire will substantially meet but not overlap, and upon expansion when the trim ring is assembled in podtion, said lock-ring will lit to half its thickness into the half-round groove in said trim ring, thereby locking said trim ring against displacement from its proper position around the clarinet bell edge, said trim ring also having at least one small hole from its outer edge to the middle of the half-round groove in said trim ring;

WALTER W. MUELLER. 

